5th Gup — Blue Belt With One Stripe Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Knowledge of all previous techniques.2. Approximately six months of additional training since last promotion.3. Increased Self Defense and Free Sparring abilities.4. No age requirement.5. Advancing in Pressure Point Strike Understanding.

4th Gup — Blue Belt With Two Stripes Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Minimum of three additional months of training.2. Demonstration of knowledge of all previous techniques.3. Continued development in self defense and sparring abilities.4. No age requirement.

E Dan Cha Gi — Jumping Double Kicks:1. Inside Front Kick followed by Jump Side Kick.2. Side Kick followed by Jumping Side Kick.3. Front Kick followed by Jumping Spinning Crescent Kick.4. Side Kick followed by Jumping Spinning Back Kick.

2nd Gup — Red Belt with One Stripe Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Approximately six months of training since previous promotion.2. Knowledge of all techniques of previous ranks.3. Continuing to advance in Assistant Instructor understanding.4. Advancing knowledge of Pressure Point Theory, Ki Gong, and Ki-Hand.5. No age requirement.

Kumdo: The Korean Art of the Sword:1. Sword Form Two.2. Sword Form Three.

1st Gup — Red Belt with Two Stripes Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Approximately six months of training since previous promotion.2. Knowledge of all techniques of previous ranks.3. Continues to advance in Instructor understanding.4. Advancing knowledge of Pressure Point Theory, Ki Gong, and Ki-Hand.5. No age requirement.

Kumdo: The Korean Art of the Sword:1. Sword Form Four.2. Sword Form Five.

1st Dan Black Belt Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Approximately six months of training since promotion to 1st Gup.2. Demonstration of all techniques of all previous ranks.3. Advancing knowledge of Pressure Point Theory, Ki Gong, and Ki-Hand.4. Has demonstrated good character and martial responsibility.5. Minimum age, sixteen years old. A Junior Black Belt may be issued for those of a younger age who demonstrate adequate proficiency in Hapkido. When they reach the age of sixteen they may be retested and promoted to full 1st Dan Black Belt.

Soo Gi — Hand and Arm Attacks:1. All Strike are reformulated to be guided solely towards Pressure Point locations.

Tuk Soo Cha Gi — Special Kicks:1. Demonstration of the use of all advanced Hapkido kicks.

At the 1st Dan level of training the Hapkido student not only continues to advances his understanding of Deflection, Joint Locking, and Throwing techniques but begins to learn how to countermanded the Joint Locks and Throws which may be unleashed by a trained adversary.

Kumdo: The Korean Art of the Sword:1. Sword Form Six.2. Sword Form Seven.3. Beginning combat with the bamboo sword — Juk Do.

2nd Dan Black Belt Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Approximately two years of training since 1st Dan promotion.2. Demonstration of all techniques of all the previous ranks.3. Advancing knowledge of Pressure Point Theory, Ki Gong, and Ki-Hand.4. Demonstration of good character and martial responsibility.5. Advancing understanding of teaching Hapkido.5. Advancing knowledge in Hapkido weapons.

Three Circle Theory:There are three ranges of Self Defense in Hapkido — defined by three concentric circles. The first is farther than six feet from the body. The second is from six to three feet. The third is from three feet to contact. The advancing Hapkido student, at the 2nd Dan level, begins to formally employ this understanding into all aspects of Self Defense.

Kumdo: The Korean Art of the Sword:1. Sword Form Eight.2. Sword Form Nine.3. Juk Do — Advancing in partner combat with the bamboo sword.

3rd Dan Black Belt Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Approximately three years of training since 2nd Dan promotion.2. Demonstration of all techniques of all the previous ranks.3. Advancing knowledge of Pressure Point Theory, Ki Gong, and Ki-Hand.4. Demonstration of good character and martial responsibility.5. Advancing understanding of teaching Hapkido.6. Advancing knowledge of Hapkido weapons.

Defense Against a Side Sword Attack:(5) Deflect, Counter Strike to a Pressure Point.

4th Dan Black Belt Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Approximately four years of training since 3rd Dan promotion.2. Demonstration of all techniques of all the previous ranks.3. Advanced knowledge of Pressure Point Theory, Ki Gong, and Ki-Hand.4. Demonstration of good character and martial responsibility.5. Advanced understanding of teaching Hapkido.6. Advanced knowledge of Hapkido weapons.7. Written thesis of no less than ttwenty-five pages detailing a specific aspect of Hapkido.

Sa Dan Hosin Sul — 4th Dan Self Defense Techniques:At this stage of Hapkido the practitioner no longer desires to enter into a blow-by-blow contest with an opponent. Instead, all aggressive force is deflected. Long periods of training is given over to manipulating the aggressive energy of an attacking opponent.

Defense Against a Side Sword Attack:(5) Deflect, Counter Strike to a Pressure Point, Joint Lock.(5) Deflect, Counter Strike to a Pressure Point.

5th Dan Black Belt Requirements:General Knowledge:1. Approximately five years of teaching since 4th Dan promotion.2. Demonstrated mastery of all techniques of all the previous ranks.3. Advanced knowledge of Pressure Point Theory, Ki Gong, and Ki-Hand.4. Demonstration of good character and martial responsibility.5. Advanced understanding of teaching Hapkido.6. Advanced mastery of Hapkido weapons.7. Written thesis of no less than twenty-five pages detailing a specific aspect of Hapkido.

The Hapkido practitioner upon achieving the level of 5th Dan is no longer formally schooled in the mastery of new self defense techniques. At this level, the practitioner is believed to be a Master of the art and, therefore, is understood to be his own best instructor. Thus, new understandings are gained by continually expanding upon the internal knowledge of self defense, opponent energy manipulation, and advanced Ki Gong understanding through less formal methods.Hapkdio Above the 5th Dan.Whereas, other traditional Korean martial arts such as Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do have forms, known in Korean as Poomse or Kyung, high rank promotion testing is performed by having the practitioner perform the appropriate form, sparring, and demonstrating the various techniques of the art. Hapkido does not possess the formalized movements of forms, however. Therefore, when an advanced rank promotion test, post the 5th Dan level, is formally organized, the judges grade the practitioner by observing the fluidity of their movement when attacked by various, non defined — non expected, offensive techniques by single and multiple attackers and how well the individual is able to use the expended energy of the attackers against themselves.